Massaging apparatus



June 3, 1952 A. BRUcATo 2,599,367

MASSAGING APPARATUS Filed March 14, 1949 nnemor www Patented June 3, 1952 UNITED STATES vPATENT OFFICE 2,599,367 MASSAGING APPARATUS l Antonio Brucato, Bridgeport, Conn. Application March 14,?1949, Serial No. 81,333

Claims. V(Cl. 128--57) This invention relates to a massaging appa- A n cate the rollers with respect to each other that they mutually cooperate for an improved massaging eiect.

A further object is to provide an improved construction for mounting the rollers, and an improved arrangement of operating handles or grips for more effective operation and use of the device.

A still further object is to provide a simplified construction whereby the extent of massaging surfaces of the device may be varied by increasing or decreasing the number of the rollers assembled in a given unit.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, I have devised the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification. It is, however, to be understood the invention is not limited to the specific details of construction and arrangement shown, but may embody various changes and modifications within the scope of the invention.

In this drawing:

Fig. 1 is a bottom plan view of the device with parts broken away;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation with portions of the grip or handles broken away;

Fig. 3 is an end view, and

Fig. 4 is a side view on a smaller scale to show more clearly the arrangement of the grips or handles with respect to the massaging elements.

The device comprises a series of rollers IU and II arranged end to end in diii'erent rows side by side. The number of rows and the number of rollers in each row may be varied as found necessary or desirable, but in the particular device shown as an example there are four rows of rollers and four rollers in each row, with rows of the two types of rollers alternating. The rollers I0 are of the general shape shown in Fig. l, with spaced convexly rounded flange or end portions I2 at their opposite ends and a concavely curved central portion I3 connecting these spaced flange portions. The rollers I I comprise substantially the two frusto-conical surfaces I4 and I5, although preferably somewhat concave instead of straight, and arranged generally with the bases of the frusto-conical portions together forming a convexly rounded enlarged central ange portion I6, and the rollers of the two adjacent rows are located closely adjacent with the central convexly rounded portion I6 of the rollers H extending into the concavely curved central portion of the adjacent roller I0. The rollers of the two adjacent rows are placed fairly close together as indicated although spaced from each other, and the spacing may be varied as found most effective or desirable. It will be seen from 2 Fig. 1 that two types of rollers are placed in al ternate rows. They may be of any suitable material, but are preferably of rubber having a certain amount of yield and resiliency, and of a hardness to give the proper massaging eect.

Each row of rollers is mounted on a longitudinally extending pivot rod I'I passing longitudinally through each roller, and adjacent rollers on the same rod may be separated by a washer I8. These rods are mounted at their opposite ends in the transverse end members I9 of a supporting frame and secured by any suitable means, such, for example, as the nuts 20 threaded onto the ends of the rods. The end members I9 of the frame are connected by a handle support comprising an inverted substantially U-shaped strap 2I including spaced end members 22 secured one to each of the end members I 9 by any suitable means such as the bolts or rivets 23, and it is preferred that the inner side of the end members I9 be provided with a vertical groove 24 in which these members 22 are seated to form a lateral support for the member 2I. The intermediate portion 25 connecting the end portions 22 is curved upwardly over the rollers as indicated in Fig. 2, and mounted on the top of this portion is the handle 26. This may beof any suitable shape, but is preferably a wooden handle of circular cross section seated on the top of the portion 25, which is transversely curved to fit this handle, and a similarly curved strap or plate 21 is placed on the top of the handle through which extend the bolts 28 for clamping the handle between the members 25 and 21 to rigidly mount the handle on the frame.v At its opposite ends the handle includes hand grips 29, and it is preferred that these grips be extended beyond the end of the frame, as indicated in Fig. 4, to provide a more effective grip and operating leverage for operating the device during the massaging operation.

In the use of this device, it is passed over the surfaces of the portions of the body to be massaged, the operator using the grips 29 for this operation, and through which the proper pressure may be applied as well as the proper mo"- tions imparted to the device. It should be used to follow the contours of the body and rolled up and down over the surfaces with long strokes. Due to the arrangement of the handle and grips, alternate pressure can be applied to opposite end portions of the handle varying the pressure at opposite ends of the device, or that is, the rollers located at the opposite ends. The device, of course, may be used in the manner found most effective by the operator, but the device is such that the pressures may be increased gradually from day to day, judging by the rmness of the flesh. The device may be rolled in straight strokes forwardly and backwardly, or it could be used with a circular motion by swinging the grips 29 in circular paths about an intermediate axisy at right angles to the plane of the handle or the plane 1n which the rollers are located. The peculiar shape of the rollers, as shown, and their relation with respect to each other as indicated, provide a very eflicient and desirable massaging eect, not only giving a rolling action and pressure but also tending to draw or force the flesh laterally a certain amount for more eii'ective action. The rollers on the different rods could be mounted with a certain amount of clearance between them if desired so that they would have a small amount of relative longitudinal movement with respect to each other and the adjacent rollers. As the supporting rods for the rollers are rigidly supported in the frame at the opposite ends of each rod there is no danger of their shifting out of position or the rollers becoming detached in use. It will be apparent it is not necessary that the rollers in each row be the same shape, as for example the alternate rollers in a row may be of the different shapes shown at I9 and Il, but the roller adjacent or opposite each roller in the next adjacent row would be the other type,` so that the two work together as shown in Fig. 1.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, I claim:

1. A massaging apparatus comprising a series of rollers arranged end to end in a plurality of rows side by side, the rollers in one row each comprising two longitudinally spaced convexly rounded anged portions and a connecting concavely curved portion between them, the flanged portions of adjacent rollers being adjacent to each other, and the rollers in the next adjacent row each comprising a convexly rounded central enlarged portion and tapered in opposite directions therefrom to smaller ends, the tapered portions of adjacent rollers forming a connecting concavely curved portion between their enlarged central portions, said rollers being arranged so that the central enlarged portion of the rollers in the second row is opposite the concaved portion of the adjacent roller in the first row, and the two adjacent ilanged portions of adjacent rollers in the flrst row are opposite the concaved portion formed by said tapered ends of adjacent rollers in the second row.

2. A massaging apparatus comprising a series of rollers arranged in rows side by side, said rollers comprising two different shapes, one shape comprising two longitudinally spaced convexly rounded ange portions and a concavely curved portion between them and these rollers arranged. in one row end to end with the flanged portions of adjacent rollers adjacent to each other, the other shape comprising a convexly rounded central enlarged portion and tapered in opposite directions therefrom to smaller ends and these rollers arranged in the second row with the tapered portions of adjacent rollers forming a connecting concavely curved portion between their enlarged central portions, and said rollers being so arranged that the enlarged portion of each of the rollers of the second row is opposite the central concave portion of a roller of the rst shape in the next adjacent row and the two adjacent flanged portions of adjacent rollers in the rst row are opposite the concaved portion formed by the tapered ends of adjacent rollers in the second row.

3. A massaging apparatus comprising a frame including spaced end members, a series of lattween Vsaid members, a series of massaging rollers mounted on each of the rods, said rollers comprising two different forms, one form comprising two longitudinally spaced convexly rounded frange portions with their outer surfaces forming rounded ends for the roller and a concavely curved portion between them, the other form comprising a convexly rounded central enlarged portion and tapered in opposite directions therefrom to smaller ends adjacent a similar end of the next adjacent roller, said rollers being arranged with the enlarged portion of the latter rollers opposite the central concave portion of the iirst form and the ilange portions of the rst form opposite the smaller end portions of thesecond form on the next adjacent rods, and an operating handle secured on the frame above the rollers including hand grips extending beyond the ends of the frame.

4. A massaging apparatus comprising a series of resilient rubber rollers arranged end to end in a plurality of rows side by side, the rollers of one row each comprising convexly rounded flange portions adjacent the ends of the roller with their outer surfaces forming round ends for the roller and a connecting concavely curved portion between them, the rollers in the next adjacent row each comprising a convexly rounded intermediate enlarged portion and tapered in opposite directions therefrom to smaller ends adjacent and in alignment with similar ends of adjacent rollers, said rollers arranged with the intermediate enlarged portion of the latter rollers opposite the concaved portions of the rst rollers and the flange portions of the rst rollers opposite the tapered end portions of the second rollers in the adjacent rows, means mounting the rollers, and a handle secured to said mounting means above the rollers and including hand grips at the opposite ends thereof.

5. A massaging apparatus comprising a series of resilient rubber rollers arranged end to end in a plurality of rows side by side, a frame including spaced members, a series of rods extending between and mounted in said frame members, said rollers being mounted with a plurality arranged end to end on each of the rods, said rollers comprising two dilerent forms, one form comprising convexly rounded ange portions adjacent the ends of the roller with their outer surfaces forming rounded ends for the roller and a connecting concavely curved portion between them, the other form comprising a convexly curved intermediate portion and tapered in opposite directions therefrom to smaller ends, said rollers arranged with the intermediate enlarged portions of the latter rollers opposite the concave portions of the iirst form and the flange portions of the first form opposite the tapered end portions of the second form in adjacent rows, and a handle secured to the frame and including hand grips extending from the opposite ends thereof.

ANTONIO BRUCATO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,310,950 Heagany July 22, 191.9 1,569,467 Edwards Jan. l2, 1926 1,697,080 Oppenheimer Jan. 1, 1929 1,969,042 Senn Aug. 7, 1934 2,007,737 Anderson July 9, 7.935 2,072,959 Mulvaney Mar. 9, 1937 

